Hemant Soren is set to return as the Jharkhand Chief Minister after the INDIA bloc, powered by his Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), took the lead in 56 of the 81 Assembly constituencies in the state.

The BJP won 21 seats — four less than the last Assembly elections. With a vote share of 33.18 per cent in the 68 seats it contested, it managed to win only one tribal reserved seat.

With its allies AJSU winning one seat out of the 10 it contested, the LJP (Ram Vilas) winning the only seat where it fought, and the JD(U) winning one of the two where it fielded candidates, the NDA’s total tally was 24 seats.

The JMM won 34 seats, four more than its 2019 tally, while the Congress retained its count of 16. Among the other INDIA bloc allies, the RJD got 4 and the CPI (M-L) (L) won 2.

The victory is a shot in the arm for Soren, who spent time in jail earlier this year in an alleged money laundering case, and had to work on keeping his flock together after his release on bail.

With 200-plus rallies, he and his wife Kalpana sought votes in favour of their welfare schemes: Maiyya Samman Yojna, a direct benefit transfer of Rs 1,000 to all underprivileged women between 18-50 years of age; waiver of power dues of 40 lakh families to the tune of Rs 3,500 crore; and universalisation of pension of Rs 1,000 to 40 lakh people.

Speaking to The Indian Express after his win, Soren said that tackling the BJP machinery was no easy task. “Humne kaha tha Assembly mein (during the no-confidence motion), galti se agar mujhe jhoote case mein jail bheja, toh chodunga nahin main inko (I had said in the Assembly that if I am sent to jail in a false case, I will not spare them politically).”

A PTI report quoted him as saying at a press conference: “We have passed the exam of democracy in Jharkhand; we will finalise our strategy after the election results.”

For the BJP, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Jharkhand election in-charge, led a campaign that focused on stoking fears that Bangladeshi infiltrators were changing the demography of the state, particularly affecting tribals. The results indicated this strategy, which the party’s central leadership also echoed during rallies in the state, did not pay dividends.

In a social media post, Sarma wrote, “The loss in Jharkhand is deeply painful for me personally, even though we secured victory in all five bypolls in Assam. I have witnessed the unwavering dedication and relentless efforts of our karyakartas in Jharkhand, who gave their all in this election. We fought with a vision to protect the state from infiltration and to lead it on the path of development, fulfilling the aspirations of students and youth. However, we must humbly accept the mandate of the people, for that is the true essence of democracy. In these challenging times, we will stand firmly with our karyakartas, offering them unwavering support and solidarity.”

In Santhal Pargana division, which has 18 seats and where this discourse was the most pronounced, the NDA won only one seat. In Palamu division, which has nine seats, the BJP won four. In North Chotanagpur, which has 25 seats, BJP and its allies won 14. In South Chotanagpur area, which has 15 seats, the BJP won two; and in Kolhan area with 14 seats, the BJP and its allies won three.

One of the most notable setbacks was of AJSU party chief Sudesh Mahato, who lost from Silli. The other key defeats were Sita Soren from Jamtara; Sunil Soren from Dumka; Madhu Koda’s wife Geeta Koda from Jagannathpur; and Meera Munda, former Union Minister Arjun Munda’s wife, from Potka.

Out of 2.61 crore eligible voters, 1.76 crore voted in the Assembly elections, with the turnout at 67.74%. However, it was the women voters, with a turnout of 70.46%, who stood out, indicating the resonance of the Maiyya Samman Yojna.